This blog is to help local photographers find events that are photogenic, a possible opportunity to get the camera out and get a few great shots. If you know of upcoming events in Southern California, Email them to cowtech@earthlink.net

Monday, February 23, 2015

SO CAL PHOTO OPPS MARCH 2015Elephant Seals at San SimeonThis is the time of the year the Elephant Seals come to a beach area north of San Simeon, just north of Hearst Castle, about 7 miles. This time of the year they are having babies and then the males come in to mate--lots of action. http://www.elephantseal.org/You can get pretty close on the boardwalks provided.Feb 28 - Race on the Base - Los AlamitosThe race is held on the run ways at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos and features helicopters, planes and military vehicles with music throughout the course. Events and activities for the whole family! For more info, 562-430-1073. http://www.raceonthebase.com/MARCH 2015

Through June 28 - Santa Anita Race Track -Arcadia
Early mornings before the races, go to Clockers Corner where you can see all the horses going to the track for practice. Get great close-up shots and images. Also on weekends free tram tour, board the Seabiscuit Tram at Clockers Corner and take the tour of the stable areas, receiving barn and Paddock Gardens. See Seabiscuit's original stall and barn and the jockeys room. Tours depart at 8:30 and 9:45 AM every Sat and Sun during season. www.santaanita.com

March 1-May 10 - Flower Fields - Carlsbad
Check ahead on condition of flowers. Early in the season the showing can be poor, check ahead.
Open 7 days a week 9AM-6PM.
For many years the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch have been a favorite location to photograph the ranunculuses each spring. The ranch offers tours as well as special events such as Kid's Day and an Arts & Craft fair. The hillside looks like a carpet of color with 50 acres of extraordinary color in bloom on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with a special nursery, garden, and gift shop. Address is 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008 off Hwy. From Los Angeles and Orange County: Head south on Interstate 5 to Palomar Airport Road exit. Head east (left turn) on Palomar Airport Road to Paseo Del Norte and turn left. Make an immediate right into the parking lot. Visit www.theflowerfields.com for more information. Hours 9-6.

March 7 People's Day at La Purisma Mission - Lompoc
It's 1822 at the mission as costumed docents and staff portray life of the mission during that era. Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location: Highway 246 near Lompoc. www.lapurisimamission.org

Rock n Roll music and up to 700 Hot Rods and Classic cars on dsplay. Friday is Cruise night, Saturday is Show Day. Old Town Temecula. www.temeculaevents.org

March 7-8 - Vista Civil War Reanactment - Vista
Location: Antique Gas and Steam Museum, 2040 N Santa Fe Ave. Time: 10AM-5PM each day. Visitors can expect to see real live cannon fire, period costumes, historical figures, authentic battles, meet with the soldiers in their camps, attend demonstrations and more during the two-day festival. Battles will be held twice daily at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. both days. Civil War living history tours will be held throughout the weekend and include demonstrations as well as displays. The museum will also have walking tours of their collections of antique equipment and offer visitors a selection of food and refreshment. http://www.goldcoastfestivals.com/VistaCivWar.html

March 14-15 Annual CSU Long Beach Pow-Wow - Long beach
Admission is Free, Parking $4.00, event in the central quad.
dancing, Arts, Crafts and Food, starts at 11:00 each day with Gourd dancing.www.csulb.edu/powwow. 1250 Bellflower.

March 14-15 - Sea Glass Festival - Cayucos

Vendors from across the country sell and display their sea glass treasures and creations. Cayucos Veterans Hall at Cayucos Pier. www.cayucosseaglass.com $5.00.

March 14 El Centro Air Show - El Centro Navel Air Facility
Many photography hobbyist and several professional photographers take advantage of the Naval Air Facility El Centro Air Show to get some spectacular photographs. Visitors to the Air Show are welcome and encouraged to take photographs of the event. Air Show features the Blue Angel Navy Flight Demonstration Squadrons's first appearance of the season. Gates open at 9AM. See the website for more info and lots of pictures of past shows. http://www.navylifesw/elcentroairshow

March 16-April 7 - Butterfly Jungle - Wild Animal Park -- Escondido
Butterfly Jungle at the Wild Animal Park in Escondido . It's a small exhibit will open early this year on March 16. It's best to get there early before the lines form. When it gets busy they only allow so many in at a time. Opens 9 AM to 7 PM, Usually many varieties of butterflies makes it easy for images.http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/butterflyjungle/

March 21 - Swallows Day Parade - San Juan Capistrano
Annual Parade and street fair and marketplace to celebrate the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano Mission on St. Joseph Day Parade begins at 11AM followed by a Street Fair. Historic Town Center Park. www.swallowsparade.org.

March 21-22 -- Daffodil Show - Julian

More than a thousand daffodils on display plus daffodil experts and art show. Julian Town Hall. www.julianca.com 2119 Main St.

March 21-22 - Los Angeles County Air Show - Lancaster
The United States Air Force Thunderbirds Jet Demonstration Team will thunder across the skies of Southern California as the headlining act of the 2015 Los Angeles County Air Show. The Thunderbirds, along with an exciting array of thrilling jets, world-renowned aerobatic performers, and historic aircraft, will captivate fans and inspire both young and old March 21-22, 2015 at Fox Airfield. 4555 W Avenue G. Gates open at 9AM. $20 admission + $10 parking. http://www.lacountyairshow.com/

March 28 - Riverside Airport Air Show - Riverside
9AM-4PM at the Riverside Airport, 6951 Flight Road. The Riverside Airshow continues to be one of Riverside’s two largest family entertainment events. Free Admission. This one-day show attracts 90,000 spectators from Riverside and the Inland Empire to see the most exciting aerial performers in the airshow business today. With more than 200 acres of aircraft displays, fun for the kids, food and refreshments, helicopter displays and community group exhibits your family will be thrilled to be part of this very unique entertainment opportunity. http://www.riversideca.gov/airshow.

March 28 - Vallecito Days - Vallecito Valley, San Diego County

Join us for the Sixth Annual Vallecito days, celebrating life on the 1860s frontier and the role of the Southern Overland trail during the Civil war. Visit with a Civil War infantry squad as they re-enact the California Column’s 1862 march from California to Texas and camp at the Vallecito Stage Station County Park throughout the weekend. Tour the Vallecito Stage Station. Visit the Mountain Man camp for hands-on demonstrations. Vallecito Regional Park, 37349 County Route S2 between mile markers 34 and 35. 10AM-4PM NO FOOD http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/reusable_components/images/parks/doc/Vallecito/2013_Vallecito_Days.pdf

March 27-28 Mountain Men Days - La Purisma Mission - Lompoc
Buckskin clad members of the American Mountain Men share mountain men history and skills. Cooking, hide preparation and tanning, leather working, rope making, and blacksmithing are among the skills that visitors may experience. Equipment will be on display and tall tales will surround the campfire. 10AM-3:30PM. http://www.lapurisimamission.org/events/ Hwy 246 near Lompoc.

March 28-19 - San Diego Crew Classic - San Diego
Watch teams compete in the world's largest regatta for eight-oared racing shells. Mission Bay. www.crewclassic.org. SO CAL PHOTO OPPS - April 2015
Through-April 7 - Butterfly Jungle - Wild Animal Park -- Escondido
Butterfly Jungle at the Wild Animal Park in Escondido . It's a small exhibit will open early this year on March 16. It's best to get there early before the lines form. When it gets busy they only allow so many in at a time. Opens 9 AM to 7 PM, Usually many varieties of butterflies makes it easy for images.http://www.sdzsafaripark.org/butterflyjungle/

Through June 28 - Santa Anita Race Track -Arcadia
Early mornings before the races, go to Clockers Corner where you can see all the horses going to the track for practice. Get great close-up shots and images. Also on weekends free tram tour, board the Seabiscuit Tram at Clockers Corner and take the tour of the stable areas, receiving barn and Paddock Gardens. See Seabiscuit's original stall and barn and the jockeys room. Tours depart at 8:30 and 9:45 AM every Sat and Sun during season. www.santaanita.com

Through-May 10 - Flower Fields - Carlsbad
Check ahead on condition of flowers. Early in the season the showing can be poor, check ahead.
Open 7 days a week 9AM-6PM.
For many years the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch have been a favorite location to photograph the ranunculuses each spring. The ranch offers tours as well as special events such as Kid's Day and an Arts & Craft fair. The hillside looks like a carpet of color with 50 acres of extraordinary color in bloom on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with a special nursery, garden, and gift shop. Address is 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008 off Hwy. From Los Angeles and Orange County: Head south on Interstate 5 to Palomar Airport Road exit. Head east (left turn) on Palomar Airport Road to Paseo Del Norte and turn left. Make an immediate right into the parking lot. Visit www.theflowerfields.com for more information. Hours 9-6.

April 4-May 17 Weekends- Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Irwindale
One of the largest Renaissance Fairs in the area for seven weekends on 20 acres. Many performances each weekend on 14 stages. Great place to spend the day photographing the many fair goers and artisans in period dress. Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area,15501 Arrow Hwy - Irwindale. www.renfair.com/socal. Hours 10-7.

April 10-12 - Prado Civil War Re-Enactment - Chino
This large re-enactment covers a large part of the Prado Regional Park, Battles are at 1PM and 5 PM on Sat.; 11AM and 3 PM Sunday. Battles are on rolling hills that make for a realistic background and helps block distractions in the background. You can visit the camps and lots of food for sale. The park charges $10.00 to park and the event is $10.00. http://sccwa.com/

Apr 19 – Orange Plaza Car Show - Orange
20th Annual Car Show in downtown Orange surrounds the circle with beautiful classic cars, More than 425 pre-1975 custom, classic, hot rod and street rods will be on display. There is no admission fee for spectators. Time: 8 am to 3 pm. Location: Chapman and N. Glassell. carshow@orangesunriserotary.org. 425 pre-1975 Street Rods, Custom and Classic vehicles will be on display. The show is estimated to bring out 15,000+ spectators to the beautiful Plaza area in the City of Orange. It is a wonderful event for the entire family to enjoy. Local restaurants and shops will welcome all in attendance. There is no admission fee for spectators. http://www.orangesunriserotary.org/orangeplazacarshow/abouttheshow.html

April 18 - Veterans Parade - Riverside
Floats, bands, equestrians, marching units, military veterans. Begins at Riverside City College in the lower parking lot along Magnolia and Ramona Dr to Market St, right on 10th St., Right on Main St. and ends at the old historic courthouse.10AM-Noon. Staging area is the lower Riverside City College Parking lot. www.asalutetovetrans.com

April 18-29 - National Park Week - USA
If you are traveling this week, entrance fees into the National Parks will be free for all 392 National Parks. In addition, many national park concessions are offering special promotions that are certain to add to your fun. http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

April 25 - Doheny Wood (car show) - Dana Point
Great chance to take pictures of classic Woodies. The meet will be held at Doheny State Beach beginning at 8 AM and concluding at 5 PM. Doheny State Beach is located in Dana Point Harbor area at 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA 92629. The woodie meet will be held at the south end of the park. $15.00 park entry fee, no charge for the show. http://socalwoodies.com/doheny.htm

Welcome to SoCal Photo Opps

Most all avid photographers are always looking for places to go to get new and good pictures. I have put together this blog to try and get the word out of upcoming events. Having been a member of many camera clubs over the years I know how it is, looking for someplace to photograph at the last moment.

This Blog is intended to list events of a photographic nature. It is not for listing classes, training or commercial ventures.

If you know of a good photographic event, you can share it with others by Emailing me at cowtech@earthlink.net

The Fine Print

SoCal Photo Opps is a place for photographers to find events in the area that might be photogenic and be worthy hauling out the camera.

Information posted on SoCal Photo Opps is gathered from personal observations, venue websites, web searches and information provided by other photographers. While every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information posted here, the operaters can not be held responsible for errors in dates and times posted.